Abhayagiri Vihara

Abhayagiri Temple

#ANURADHAPURA #NORTH CENTRAL PROVINCE

Abhyagiri Vihara built by the king walagamba in the 1st century BC was known as Uttara Maha cheta, abhayagiri Dagaba. The King Gajabahu ,Mittasena ,Kassapa IV , Sena III & The King Parakramabahu the great have conducted conservation of the stupa. The height of the stupa as at present in 235 feet whiles the width of the base is 310 feet and it is well known as second highest stupa in Sri Lanka.

95%

History & Ancient

98%

Art & Design

40%

Natural

98%

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HISTORY

The addition of a second monastery in Anuradhapura by King Valagambahu in the form of Abhayagiri – also in the first century BCE – paved the way for the expansion and diversification of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. This monastery was more open to the new developments taking place in India and was receptive to Mahayana doctrines and practices, including scriptures in Sanskrit. As a result, it became the focal point of international Buddhist relations. The third monastery, the Jetavanarama, established two centuries later by King Mahasen, followed a similar eclectic tendencies and all Buddhist traditions – Theravada, Mahayana and even Vajrayana (mentioned in the Nikayasangraha as Nilapatadarshana) co-exited and flourished as can be seen from the artifacts discovered in recent excavations of these two monasteries and elsewhere in Anuradhapura.